§ 18. Mr. Viggersasked the hon. Member for Wokingham. as representing the Church Commissioners, if he is satisfied with the current method of remuneration of those seeking Holy Orders.
§ The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Mr. William van Straubenzee)The use of the commissioners' income is governed by statute and is primarily available towards the pay and housing of the clergy and the provision of their pensions. The commissioners themselves are not empowered, for example, to give financial assistance towards the maintenance of ordinands through the period of their training.
§ Mr. ViggersDoes my hon. Friend agree that, whereas ordinands can normally obtain grants, there is no such general system for the funding of their families, which can result in real hardship because the families must rely on what is available from charities and individual dioceses? Does my hon. Friend agree that in the less-well-endowed dioceses that results in hardship? Does he agree that a fairer system would be to have a general national system for remuneration of ordinands' families?
§ Mr. van StraubenzeeI should be happy to examine any case my hon. Friend had in mind. In essence, when a man is sent forward for ordination, he is the responsibility of the diocese in question. That responsibility is gladly accepted. He is often supported by a variety of sources, some of which have been mentioned by my hon. Friend. One is the Train a Priest appeal which appears in the Church Times, which I warmly appreciate. It is the established policy of the Church of England that no man, once he has been selected, shall be prevented from undertaking training for lack of money.